A domestic flight operating between Omaha, Nebraska and Detroit, Michigan was forced to make an emergency landing on Thursday due to the disruptive actions of a passenger who allegedly attempted to open the aircraft’s emergency exit door mid-air. The incident has raised renewed concerns over the safety and security protocols aboard commercial aircraft in the United States.
SkyWest Flight 3612, operating under Delta Connection, departed from Omaha’s Eppley Airfield and was en route to Detroit when the situation escalated. Authorities reported that 23-year-old Mario Nikprelaj from Nebraska became aggressive during the flight and got into a physical confrontation with a flight attendant. Witnesses claim that Nikprelaj tried to access and open one of the emergency exit doors while the plane was in the air.
Crew members acted swiftly and restrained the passenger while notifying air traffic control. The flight was then diverted to the Eastern Iowa Airport in Cedar Rapids, where law enforcement officers were waiting on the tarmac.
“The flight diverted to Cedar Rapids where police officers met the flight and arrested the individual,” said the Cedar Rapids Police Department in an official statement. “This was treated as an in-flight disturbance and a threat to safety.”
Nikprelaj was immediately taken into custody upon landing and transported to Linn County Correctional Centre. He now faces multiple charges, including assault, disorderly conduct, possession of prescription drugs, harassment in the first degree, and a tax stamp violation. Police confirmed that additional charges could be filed as the investigation continues.
Court Appearance and Airline Response
Nikprelaj appeared virtually before a judge from Linn County Jail on Friday. The court set his bond at US$10,000 and issued a no-contact order to protect those involved in the altercation. SkyWest Airlines, the regional carrier operating the flight, issued a statement following the incident.
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“We have a zero-tolerance policy for unruly behaviour,” the airline stated. “The safety of our customers and crew is our top priority, and we thank our flight team for their professional response to the situation.”
Passengers were rebooked on alternative flights after the emergency landing caused delays. No injuries were reported among the passengers or crew.
Growing Concern Over In-Flight Disturbances
The attempted breach of the emergency exit is part of a growing trend of unruly passenger behaviour on commercial flights. This latest case follows several other incidents reported worldwide where individuals attempted to open exit doors mid-flight—actions that pose severe risks to all onboard.
In a similar event in April, 46-year-old Shadi Taiseer Alsaaydeh from Jordan was arrested after allegedly trying twice to open emergency exit doors on an AirAsia X flight from Kuala Lumpur to Sydney. After being restrained by crew and fellow passengers, Alsaaydeh was taken into custody upon arrival in Australia and charged with endangering aircraft safety and assaulting a crew member.
These repeated incidents are prompting airlines and aviation authorities to re-evaluate in-flight security measures, including protocols for handling psychologically distressed or intoxicated passengers. Lawmakers and aviation experts have called for stricter penalties and more comprehensive screening procedures to prevent similar occurrences.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) in the US has also stressed the importance of reporting and penalizing disruptive passenger conduct. So far in 2025, there have been dozens of cases involving passengers exhibiting dangerous behaviour that could have endangered flights.
As authorities continue to investigate the motive behind Nikprelaj’s actions, this emergency landing serves as a stark reminder of the vulnerabilities commercial flights still face in dealing with inflight threats. Passengers and crew alike remain on high alert, as the aviation industry seeks better ways to safeguard travel in the skies.
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